1. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

2. OBJECTIVES – Learn the basics Indoor Environmental Quality: Why is IEQ important? What are Indoor Pollutants? What are VOCs? Strategies to Improve IAQ Materials Selection Attributes for Occupant Health LEED and GreenPointcredits related to materials & indoor health Third-Party Product Certifications Ventilation, HVAC Systems, and IAQ

3. Why IAQ Is Important On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors. Indoor air is often more than 10 times (and sometimes more than 100 times) more polluted than outdoor air.

4. Indoor air pollutants contribute to asthma, as well as other immediate and long-term health problems. More than $60 billion per year in medical costs can be attributed to poor indoor air quality.

5. IAQ improvements could reduce health care costs and work losses from allergies and asthma by 18-25%. (Source: EPA)

7. Indoor Pollutants VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from building materials, finishes, and furnishings Various toxic chemicals from cleaning products, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, “air fresheners,” dry-cleaned clothes, perfumes, etc. Mold and mildew, biological/microbial pollutants Carbon monoxide and NO2 (from combustion equip.) Particulates(from wood-burning fireplace, outdoor air pollutants from automobiles, etc.) Tobacco smoke Radon Asbestos, lead (in existing buildings)

8. VOCs Volatile organic compounds contribute to ground-level ozone (smog) and to indoor pollution. They can off gasfrom materials for years after installation. Types of VOCs include: formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and toluene.

9. Formaldehyde

10. VOCs VOCs can cause respiratory, skin, and eye irritation; headaches, nausea, muscle weakness, dizziness, fatigue; and more serious ailments and long-term diseases. Some VOCs are known carcinogens.

12. EPA’s VOC limit rules were created to reduce emissions of VOCs that cause smog. Other types of VOCs, which can compromise indoor air quality, are not measured under these rules.

13. EPA Indoor Air PLUS 13 “Specifications were developed based on best available science and information about risks associated with indoor air quality problems, and balanced with practical issues of cost, builder production process compatibility, and enforceability” epa.gov/iaq/indoorairplus

14. Finish Measures 14 Paints, sealants, adhesives Cabinetry & furnishings Flooring Appliances Invoices, MSDS, cut sheets as documentation Watch for switch-outs during construction (but it’s in the specs!)

15. 15 SF MF SF MF Finishes E2 K1 Design Entryways to Reduce Contaminants SF/MF - Provide Hard Surface & Permanently Installed Shoe Storage System at Home Entrances MF - Permanent Walk-Off Systems are Provided at All Main Entrances & in Common Areas Manual: Built-in cubby or shelf is req’d, bench isn’t

16. Finishes 16 Use Low/No-VOC Paint Field: Documentation is key. Finding cans in field is often difficult and not necessarily indicative of which paint was applied where.

17. 17 SF MF SF MF Finishes E7 K6 PK1 Use Environmentally Preferable Materials for Interior Finish A) FSC Certified Wood, B) Reclaimed, C) Rapidly Renewable D) Recycled-Content or E) Finger-Jointed or Local

18. Certification of Products

19. Low & No-VOC Adhesives Low/no-VOC adhesives reduce toxic gasses like aromatic hydrocarbons Can be used for all interior applications Flooring Countertops Wall coverings Paneling Tub/shower enclosures

21. Great for radiant, in-floor heating systems

23. Contains petroleum-based products or chlorinated chemicals such as PVC which off gases VOCs

24. Lasts only 7-10 years

25. Manufactured from natural materials like flax seed, jute, and linseed oil

27. Low VOC, Water-Based Wood Finishes Conventional solvent-based wood finishes can off-gas for months Low VOC finishes are lower in toxic compounds Can be used in most applications

29. Mercury or mercury compounds

31. Flush out prior to occupancy If solvent-based wood finishes must be used, they should be left to off-gas for 3 to 4 weeks prior to occupancy

33. Strategies to Improve IAQ 1. Source control / pollution prevention 2. Improved ventilation 3. Air filtering

34. Materials Selection Attributesfor Occupant Health Low-VOC / Zero-VOC products (e.g., paints, stains, sealants/coatings, adhesives, solvents, carpeting and padding, upholstery, etc.) Formaldehyde-free, or no added urea-formaldehyde (e.g., in binders for pressed wood products such as particleboard and MDF; insulation) Mold/moisture resistant, or naturally mold inhibiting Free of hazardous substances, e.g., mercury, arsenic, chromium, lead, BFRs, HFRs, PBDE flameretardants, etc. Naturally fire resistant

35. Materials Selection Attributes forPublic/Environmental Health PVC-free materials Free of hazardous substances Made of natural materials (e.g., renewable, biodegradable, non-petrochemical) Organically grown materials Low-pollution and/or carbon-neutral manufacturing process Clean-burning fireplace insert and woodstoves Note: The selection of energy-saving products also helps protect public/environmental health (and thereby also indoor health). Reducing fossil fuel consumption reduces air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

36. Third-Party Product Certifications GreenguardIndoor Air Quality Certified / Children and Schools Green Seal Scientific Certification Systems: Indoor Advantage, FloorScore, calCOMPliant, etc.

37. Other Product Certifications MBDC Cradle to Cradle CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) Green Label Plus

38. Ventilation, HVAC Systems, and IAQ Natural ventilation (intentional vs. infiltration) Mechanical ventilation (whole-house fans, ventilation systems, exhaust vents, etc.) Heating systems and equipment (sealed-combustion or power-vented equip., high-efficiency filters, radiant heating, etc.)

39. Construction/RenovationPractices and IAQ Construction IAQ Management (e.g., protecting ducts; proper timing for the installation of porous materials; flush-out) Minimizing equipment and vehicle emissions in and around building Proper ventilation and safety procedures during installation/application of finishes (or polyurethane products), to protect workers as well as occupants Proper disposal of hazardous materials

40. Operations & Maintenanceissues related to IAQ Cleaning products and equipment Pesticides / pest management HVAC air filter replacement Moisture/humidity control Entryway grates, mats Storage and disposal of hazardous products Automobile and lawn maintenance equipment emissions Adequate ventilation during repair/maint./renov. work

41. Other IEQ Issues, Beyond IAQ Factors that affect occupant comfort, well-being, and productivity/performance: •Thermal comfort • Daylighting/lighting (ample natural/warm light) • Controllability of lighting, windows, HVAC • Views of the outside/landscape • Acoustics

42. Productivity/Performance Stats IEQ strategies can result in a 6-26 percent improvement in occupant performance. (Rocky Mountain Institute) A study at Herman Miller showed up to a 7% increase in worker productivity following a move to a green, daylitfacility. Over a 30-year period, more than 90% of a building owner’s total costs are personnel-related (vs. only 6% for the cost of designing and constructing the building), so small increases in employee productivity can lead to significant savings. U.S. businesses could save $200 billion in worker performance from IAQ improvements. (LBNL study)

43. Kidder, Peabody & Co. circa 1865

44. Bertsch& Cooper, Chicago, 1921

45. Wright’s Studio Taliesin West Work Spaces 1932

46. Action Office Herman Miller

47. Office Cubicles

48. Environmental experience - Productivity Impact Thermal comfort - Performance decrease when too hot or too cold Air quality - Performance decrease in polluted air Circulation of air, air vent location - Performance decrease in stuffy rooms, or when air blows directly on worker Noise - Performance decrease in noisy rooms Mechanical vibrations - Performance decrease by noise and distraction Personal control of temperature, air circulation -Performance decrease with no control, perceived or real.

49. Personal control of temperature, air circulation

50. Suggested Practices IAQ Management Program Reduce Particulates in Air Distribution Green Cleaning Policy High-Performance Green Cleaning Program Custodial Effectiveness Assessment Purchase of Sustainable Cleaning Products and Materials Sustainable Cleaning Equipment Indoor Integrated Pest Management Occupant Comfort Survey

51. More GreenPoint credits related to IEQ Construction IAQ Management Plan Operable Windows/Skylights Placed for Cross-Ventilation VentlessNatural Gas Clothes Dryers Two-week Whole Building Flush-Out Furniture with Environmentally Preferable Attributes

52. Operable skylights and windows

53. More GreenPoint credits (Existing Home only) related to IEQ Moisture Source Verification and Correction Retrofit Crawlspace to Control Moisture Radon Testing and Correction Carbon Monoxide Testing and Correction Lead and Asbestos Testing and Remediation Gas Shut-Off Valve

54. Retrofit Crawlspace to Control Moisture Here we go…… Here we go……

55. Humid Air Caused This Problem Because Of Open Vents.

56. Poor Air Quality Due To Mold And Moisture.

57. A Cellar That Needed A Clean Space.

59. Getting it done!

60. Water intrusion in crawl space

61. Moisture in Crawl Spaces is…

62. …one of the main sources of mold in the home.

63. Sump Pumps

65. Under a basement slab…

66. Set at lowest point in crawlspace

67. Sump pump with sealed lid

69. Discharge pipe & Power cord

70. 12 mil to Encapsulate The Walls

71. Keep Moister Out Of The Home.

75. Review Objectives Learn the basics Indoor Environmental Quality: Why is IEQ important? What are Indoor Pollutants? What are VOCs? Strategies to Improve IAQ Materials Selection Attributes for Occupant Health LEED and GreenPoint credits related to materials & indoor health Third-Party Product Certifications Ventilation, HVAC Systems, and IAQ

77. We did not inherit the Earth from our parents. We are borrowing it from our children.Chief Seattle